Clydebuilt whisky has relaunched with redesigned, lighter packaging and a three-bottle core range selected by Ardgowan Whisky Maker Laura Davies. Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured is a Speyside single malt aged in sherry butts plus PX and Oloroso hogsheads (46% ABV, £45.99). The 100 Proof version shares that maturation and is bottled at 57.1% ABV (£63.99). Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Candlebrae is a limited Highland single malt matured in American oak (48% ABV, £55). All three are non-chill filtered with natural colour and are rolling out through specialist retailers from October 2026.
The new Clydebuilt range at a glance
| 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured | 10 Years Old 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured | 10 Years Old Candlebrae | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Speyside | Speyside | Highland |
| Age | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| ABV | 46% | 57.1% | 48% |
| Casks | Sherry butts, PX and Oloroso hogsheads | Sherry butts, PX and Oloroso hogsheads | American oak |
| Style | Rich, sherried depth | Same profile, higher strength | Softer, waxy sweetness |
| Release | Core | Core | Limited |
| Price (UK RRP) | £45.99 | £63.99 | £55 |
| For | The everyday sherry drinker | Drinkers who like to add their own water | Fans of fruit and texture over dark sherry |
All three are bottled without chill filtration or added colouring.
What is Clydebuilt whisky?
Clydebuilt is the whisky brand of Ardgowan Distillery Company, the independent producer that built Scotland’s newest distillery on the Ardgowan Estate near Inverkip, on the Firth of Clyde west of Glasgow. The first Clydebuilt bottling reached shelves in 2019, years before Ardgowan had a still to its name.
The name comes from the river. When the Clyde was one of the world’s great shipbuilding centres, “Clydebuilt” became shorthand for a vessel built to the highest standard. Ardgowan borrowed that idea for a range of whiskies selected, matured and married while its own single malt sleeps in cask.
Every Clydebuilt release is the work of Laura Davies, Ardgowan’s distillery manager and whisky maker, whose training includes years of mentorship under the late Dr Jim Swan. She selected and developed all three expressions in this new range.
The new Clydebuilt packaging: a map of the Clyde in the glass
The redesign has been years in the making, and the bottle itself carries the story. Each one is etched with a map of the River Clyde and its surrounding area, a direct link to the shipyards that made the word “Clydebuilt” mean something.
Sustainability guided the materials. The bottle is lightweight, the packaging uses FSC certified materials, and the supply chain stays close to home: the gift boxes were made along the coast in Inverclyde, and the labels were printed in Scotland’s central belt.
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured
This is the new entry point to the range, and it is a confident one. A Speyside single malt matured in sherry butts alongside PX (Pedro Ximénez) and Oloroso hogsheads, it is built for depth. PX typically brings the dark, sticky fruit; Oloroso adds the drier, nuttier side of sherry.
At 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and at natural colour for £45.99, the specification is strong for the money. That combination of age statement, strength and presentation is exactly what many drinkers look for in a first serious sherried single malt.
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured: distillery tasting notes
- Nose: [Paste official note from the Ardgowan product page]
- Palate: [Paste official note]
- Finish: [Paste official note]
- ABV: 46% | Casks: Sherry butts, PX and Oloroso hogsheads | Price: £45.99
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured
The same maturation, turned up. This version is bottled at 57.1% ABV, the strength that corresponds to the historic British 100 proof designation. Before hydrometers, that was the point at which a spirit-soaked sample of gunpowder would still ignite, which is where the word “proof” comes from.
For drinkers who like control over their dram, this is the bottle to look at. At £63.99, it gives you the full weight of the sherry casks with room to add water a few drops at a time and find your own balance.
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured: distillery tasting notes
- Nose: [Paste official note from the Ardgowan product page]
- Palate: [Paste official note]
- Finish: [Paste official note]
- ABV: 57.1% | Casks: Sherry butts, PX and Oloroso hogsheads | Price: £63.99
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Candlebrae
Candlebrae is the change of pace. It is a limited Highland single malt matured for a full decade in American oak, and Ardgowan describes it as softer, with a waxy sweetness. Where the two sherry bottlings lean into dried fruit and spice, American oak tends to bring vanilla, orchard fruit and a lighter frame, letting the texture of the spirit come forward.
At 48% ABV and £55, it gives the range a second voice and a reason for sherry devotees and ex-bourbon fans to find a bottle on the same shelf. Bottle numbers have not been published, so if waxy Highland malt is your style, it is the one in this trio not to leave too long.
Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Candlebrae: distillery tasting notes
- Nose: [Paste official note from the Ardgowan product page]
- Palate: [Paste official note]
- Finish: [Paste official note]
- ABV: 48% | Cask: American oak | Price: £55
How the Clydebuilt core range has evolved
The previous Clydebuilt core, launched in July 2025, centred on a 12 year old Sherry Cask Matured at 46% and a 12 year old 100 Proof at 57.1%, using the same combination of sherry butts, PX and Oloroso hogsheads. The new range keeps that recipe and that pair of strengths, carries a 10 year age statement, and comes in slightly below last year’s prices (£46.99 and £64.99 at the time).
Alongside the core, Clydebuilt continues to release single casks from distilleries across Scotland, bottled at natural cask strength. The streamlined three-bottle range gives the brand a clear, consistent front door.
Who makes Clydebuilt? Ardgowan Distillery in brief
Ardgowan Distillery filled its first cask on 20 June 2025, the day of its official opening. It is the first new distillery in Inverclyde in more than a century; the last whisky made in the area ended when a distillery in Greenock was destroyed in the Greenock Blitz of May 1941.
Geographically, Ardgowan sits in the Lowland whisky region. Its stated ambition is long sherry cask maturation in European oak, and its signature Infinity Casks were seasoned with sherry years before the distillery was built. In summer 2026 it also ran its first heavily peated distillation, laying down spirit for future releases.
Until that spirit is ready, Clydebuilt is how Ardgowan shows its approach to wood and its eye for a cask. Note that the three new bottlings are sourced Speyside and Highland single malts matured and selected by Ardgowan, not Ardgowan’s own distillate.
Price and where to buy Clydebuilt whisky
UK recommended retail prices are £45.99 for the 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured, £63.99 for the 100 Proof, and £55 for the limited Candlebrae. All are 70cl.
The new bottles are rolling out through specialist whisky retailers from October 2026, as well as directly from Ardgowan’s online shop. Internationally, Clydebuilt has distribution partners across Europe, North America and Asia, and has previously been stocked in Austria, Belgium, Sweden and Germany. Ardgowan keeps an up-to-date list of UK stockists and international distributors on its website, which is the best place to check availability in your country.
Our take: which new Clydebuilt bottle is for you?
We have not tasted the new 10 year old bottlings yet, so this is a read of the specifications rather than the glass.
On paper, the 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured is the value play: an age-stated, non-chill filtered sherried single malt at 46% for under £46. If you want a dependable sherry cask dram for the shelf, start here.
The 100 Proof is the pick for anyone who prefers higher strength. It costs £18 more for 11 percentage points of extra alcohol, and drinkers who like to dilute to taste will get more glasses from the bottle.
Candlebrae is for the drinker who wants texture and orchard fruit rather than dried fruit and spice, and its limited status makes it the bottle to act on first.
Frequently asked questions
What is Clydebuilt whisky? Clydebuilt is the whisky brand of Ardgowan Distillery Company, based in Inverkip on the Firth of Clyde. Named after the River Clyde’s shipbuilding heritage, it bottles selected Scotch single malts matured and married by Whisky Maker Laura Davies, while Ardgowan’s own single malt continues to mature. The first Clydebuilt release appeared in 2019.
What are the new Clydebuilt 10 year old whiskies? The relaunched Clydebuilt range has three 10 year old single malts: the Sherry Cask Matured (Speyside, 46% ABV), the 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured (Speyside, 57.1% ABV) and the limited Candlebrae (Highland, 48% ABV, American oak). All three were selected by Laura Davies and are bottled without chill filtration or added colouring.
How much does Clydebuilt whisky cost? UK recommended retail prices for the new range are £45.99 for the Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured, £63.99 for the 10 Years Old 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured, and £55 for the limited 10 Years Old Candlebrae. Prices outside the UK depend on local distributors, duty and tax.
Where can I buy Clydebuilt whisky? Clydebuilt whisky is sold through specialist whisky retailers and Ardgowan Distillery’s online shop. The brand has distribution partners across Europe, North America and Asia, and has been stocked in countries including Austria, Belgium, Sweden and Germany. Ardgowan publishes a list of UK stockists and international distributors on its website.
What does 100 Proof mean on the Clydebuilt bottle? 100 Proof refers to the historic British proof system, where 100 proof equals roughly 57.1% alcohol by volume. It was traditionally described as the strength at which spirit-soaked gunpowder would still ignite. Clydebuilt’s 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured is bottled at exactly 57.1% ABV, making it the strongest of the three new releases.
Is Clydebuilt made at Ardgowan Distillery? Clydebuilt whiskies are selected and matured by Ardgowan, but the spirit comes from other Scottish distilleries, as Ardgowan only began distilling in June 2025. The new 10 year old range combines Speyside and Highland single malts. Ardgowan’s own single malt, matured in sherry-seasoned European oak, will be released under the Ardgowan name in future.
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